


Words Old and New

by Soak



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Camping, Established Relationship, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Petrashe Week 2020, Post-Canon, Slice of Life, Swimming, Wyvern Rider!Ashe and Petra, kinda daydreamy ngl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:33:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26940703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soak/pseuds/Soak
Summary: As they near Fódlan's western port in old Ochs territory, Petra remembers that Ashe has never seen the ocean up close before. It's one new step among hundreds as they plan to leave the continent entirely.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Petra Macneary
Comments: 11
Kudos: 23





	Words Old and New

**Author's Note:**

> For Petrashe Week 2020!
> 
> I tried experimenting with my usual narrative structure for this one, so please bear with any wonkiness!

Petra awoke to an unfamiliar sound—light, rushing exhales from the nose, so close to her ear. There were other noises from outside the tent, the morning calls of woodland birds and a leafy canopy billowing in the breeze, but those she had grown accustomed to. Fódlan had it's own rhythm and cadence that she'd sorely miss.

Blinking her eyes open, Petra turned in her bedroll. In the dim light filtering through the tent's canvas, she found Ashe just inches away, still asleep. His bangs had fallen messily over his eyes, with his nose poking out towards her. He must've rolled around in the night.

She breathed a light sigh of relief. This was still taking some getting used to. Back at the monastery, things were separated into different rooms and different routines, and her sense of space hadn't changed much when their relationship did. Now, finally departed from Garreg Mach, maybe the shift was starting to settle in.

He sniffed. The freckles on his cheeks bunched up under his eyes for a moment, before coming back down. More quiet breaths in and out, tickling her face. Petra snuggled deeper into her bedroll for a moment, content to keep watching as the morning rippled by outside like a lazy stream, so soft at the edges of her hearing.

The change was worth it, Petra decided, as she reached out and brushed his hair aside. Her fingertips curled along his hairline and dipped down along his cheek. She leaned in and pressed a kiss on his forehead.

"Ashe, _mo stór_ ," she whispered softly, "it is time to be waking up."

He shifted and grumbled. A slight frown pulled at his lips. She poked at his nose.

"None of that," Petra said with a chuckle. "It is morning now."

His eyes opened slowly, languidly glancing around the space until they found her. His frown disappeared, replaced by a warm, sleepy smile. "Oh… good morning."

Petra smiled back. She wormed out of her bedroll, sitting up and stretching out her arms. "We are not being far from the coast, and we should be arriving near the port by afternoon. You have not seen the ocean before, correct?"

Ashe sat upright and shuffled closer, still groggy. He unceremoniously slumped against her, resting his head on her shoulder. "Well, there was Enbarr—but I never really got up close."

"Good. I am being very excited to, uh… see you see it? Does that make sense? Being near to the water, seeing it go out and touch the sky; it is a special feeling that is telling each of us different things. We are having many words for it in Brigid."

He nodded, letting his eyes close again. "Well, that sounds nice."

"Maybe we should be landing outside the town? So we can be finding a place to be seeing it without the buildings." Petra hummed and mulled it over. "We will not be able to be renting a room for the night, but sleeping with the sound of the waves is also very relaxing."

"Hmm, I think I'd like that," Ashe mumbled, slipping deeper and deeper.

"If we are travelling with quickness, maybe we can be swimming?"

Petra turned her gaze back to him, expecting an answer, only to find his half-conscious face. As endearing as it was, they had a day of travel ahead of them, and a deadline to keep with Brigidi ships arriving soon. Rolling her eyes, she leaned away and let him tumble off with a sudden gasp. Ashe landed on her bedroll with a padded thump, pouting and groaning.

She rose up as best she could, exiting the tent. With a peek back inside, she warned, "If you are not out soon, I will be making Rúilacha get you."

At the mention of her name, Petra's wyvern grumbled outside.

\--

Ashe leaned forward in his saddle, letting his chest fall against his wyvern. Mid-flight, Roland looked back, his golden eyes curious to make sure his longtime friend was okay. He received a nod and a pat on the neck.

Roland huffed through his nose and turned back, his steady gait of flaps propelling them through the afternoon sky.

"Sorry to scare you, boy. Feels like we've been going forever."

Ashe rolled his shoulders as he rested, staring down at the passing fields below. The patch of woodlands they'd camped in had gave way long ago to rolling farmland, criss-crossed with dirt paths and cattle fences. In late summer, the plots alternated between gold and deep greens, checkering the landscape.

The feeling of seeing the world from above for the first time, he doubted he could forget if he tried. The bubbling freedom in his chest, light and limitless like the wind, made him grip the reins tighter and hope he didn't float away. Even now, sometimes the rush would return and the leather between his hands crunched.

If one had told him before the academy that he'd see Fódlan like this, he would've laughed. Soaring over the western Empire, watching villages pass by like leaves in a stream—this wasn't a fate that fell to orphaned commoners. Sometimes it was worth reflecting on that fact, if only to stay humble.

_"Ashe, thank you for stopping in," Byleth had said. "Are you adjusting to your new house all right?"_

_"I am, Professor. Everyone has been very kind."_

_"Good. Now I'd like to discuss a change in your tutoring. Almyrans often shoot their bows from wyvernback, and I think you'd benefit as well."_

_He blinked. "A- a wyvern? I thought that was just the stuff of stories."_

_"I can tell you from experience that it isn't. The mobility would be good for you, and you have enough talent with an axe to make the jump. It'd be a long process, but we can set it in motion now, if you're interested."_

To be honest, the idea of getting onto one of the hulking, scaly mounts had terrified him at first. Ashe was under no illusion that he fit the wyvern rider mold—who were often large and aggressive types, not elusive archers. But as he had learned then, trusting those close to you often paid off.

_"Professor?" Ashe had called out as he stepped into the classroom. "I've made a decision- oh!"_

_"Hello, Ashe," Petra said with a nod. "You are also wanting to speak to the professor?"_

_His eyes flicked between her and Byleth, who seemed mid-conversation at her desk. He stopped in the middle of the room and bowed. "Well, yes, but I can come back later. It seems you two are already busy, so-"_

_"No need," Byleth cut him off. "Please, tell me your answer."_

_He paused. Petra shrugged and gave him an encouraging smile. "Ah, o-okay. I've given it some thought, and I've decided to agree to your plan, professor. If you say it'll make me better, well, I have to try."_

_Impassive as ever, Byleth nodded. "Great. This will work out nicely, then." She glanced between the two of her pupils. "I imagine you both will become quite familiar with each other. Starting next week, you'll both be on sky watch duties."_

A half year of sky watch with Petra had started more than just a love for flying. Saturdays became a highlight of the week, as after-work teatimes or trips into town became more and more common. Placing his trust in Byleth had led him this far, and now Petra was asking for the same.

_"We will be diving into the ocean with each other, and be gazing up at the sky from behind the waves. I give you this promise. I hope you are understanding."_

He didn't need to take a week to decide, this time. Ashe knew from the moment those words left her lips.

Ashe shook himself from his daydreaming, sitting back upright. Off to the side, not a dozen paces away, was Petra. Atop her own wyvern, a lighter caramel color to Roland's mahoghany, the princess kept her eyes dutifully scanning the distance. They hadn't run into trouble on their journey, but she wasn't about to let up. Some wartime habits died hard, and for good reason.

She caught him looking and shot back a smile. The wind made it difficult to speak in the skies, but after so long flying together, they usually didn't need to. Petra tilted her head questioningly and pointed off into the horizon.

Ashe turned, wholly unprepared for the growing plains of blue. The green fields gave way to a tan sliver of sand, which carved across his view like a jagged crevasse. From there the ocean stretched out until its deep cerulean blended with the sky.

In Enbarr, the ocean was little more than hints of color through a labyrinth of architecture. Needless to say, his short time there was far too hectic to be sightseeing. Any curiosity palled as celebrations began.

What he saw now was spellbinding, a primal draw that seized at his heart and held it still. His memories of mountain lakes dwarfed down to puddles—the land kept giving way to more and more water as they flew, and never once did the ocean's hunger end. Not the faintest smudge of islands in the distance. Nothing but an endless pull of blue.

Somewhere, in the back of his awed mind, Ashe wondered if there was a word in Brigidi for that.

\--

Petra smiled to herself as they landed. Ashe's eyes had hardly left the waves since they began their descent, and even as he dismounted he was enchanted.

The western coast of Fódlan wasn't the same as the shores of her home—the sand was coarser, the water a murky green-blue and far colder. The wind nipped at the skin whereas in Brigid it soothed. But the sun had also begun its fall, torching into a warm orange, its reflection glittering in the sea foam. Sea birds called in the distance above the ocean's heartbeat of waves.

For a first experience, this mustn't be so bad. Perhaps the archipelago would only impress him more.

She undid her bags from Rúilacha, earning a relieved huff from her wyvern. Off came the saddle and her bedroll, tumbling down to the sand below. They were still miles from the port, secluded to themselves on the shoreline.

"Ashe?" Petra called out as she turned around. "Are you having an appetite for dinner?"

No response. He had stepped up to the precipice of the surf, kicking off his boots and letting his feet sink into the sand. Ashe stared out across the waves.

Petra quietly came up beside him, a precociousness welling in her chest. She had been serious about her people having many words for the sensation of seeing the ocean's reach, and its experience was in many ways sacred. Whether he was a believer in the spirits or not, she wouldn't deny it to him.

She threaded her fingers among his as they stared out into the blue, divided in half by the horizon. Amber and rust clouds faded into distance, wobbling in the water's mirror as the tide pushed and pulled. The exhales of waves hissed and died by their feet.

"It's amazing," he breathed.

Petra beamed, side-stepping closer and letting their shoulders touch. "It is."

"There's… there's nothing but water from here to Brigid, right?"

"Yes. For almost as long as here to the monastery."

"Wow…"

Ashe leaned against her. Petra turned, using her free hand to brush wind-swept hair from his face. Slow breaths worked through his open lips, his wide eyes taking in the sights before him.

Petra remained silent, letting him have as much time as needed. In a way, she was jealous—growing up with the ocean so close, she never had a moment to be starstruck by it, to have her worldview tipped upside-down and shaken. It was a steady, comforting constant, one she painfully missed at Garreg Mach.

"S- so… is there really many words in Brigidi for this?" he asked, at last. "I… I feel small, but in a good way. Like my problems aren't so bad anymore. I think I could just listen to the waves for hours and kinda forget everything."

A warmth welled up in her chest. "Yes— _aínegéin._ It is a pleasant feeling, no?"

Ashe took a long breath and nodded. They waited for a few heartbeats more before he squeezed her hand and looked over. "Do you still want to go in? If I remember correctly from this morning, I mean. There's still a bit of daylight left, and well, I wouldn't mind rinsing off after being in the sun all day."

Petra smiled. "I would be loving that."

\--

As the water licked at his ankles, Ashe regretted his decision. The cold pricked at his skin, and the surf kept rising higher and higher. Up his calves and to his knees, he considered turning tail and leaving.

Petra pivoted in front of him, he undone hair flowing in the sea breeze. She grabbed his hands and began walking backwards into the water, guiding him the whole way. "It is okay, Ashe. The water here is having more coldness than in Brigid—but do not be worrying, your body will be adapting once you are in it."

He was up to his waist now, marveling at the sensation of having to bunny-hop over waves. His fingers held onto hers tightly, distrusting of the murky depths and the chill that sent shivers up his spine with each splash. Eventually they arrived far enough for the water to come up to their shoulders, and Petra had to bounce on her toes to stay above the surface.

She let go, letting him bob on his own in the saltwater.

"Are you being ready for the next part?" she asked.

"Uh, I guess?" Ashe said.

"You must be going under, _mo stór."_ And with that, Petra shot him a quick grin and submerged herself. Hardly a flash of skin and she was gone, lost to the deep blue.

Ashe started and stared down at the water's surface. Truth be told, while his body was slowly acclimating to the cold, dunking his head seemed a bridge too far. And besides, the seawater was salty, who knew if it'd hurt his eyes or get in his hair?

Without an answer, he decided it'd be best to wait and ask Petra. In the interim, his gaze kept pulling to the horizon, to the thin line of sky and ocean with a flaming orb of sun dipping into it. In even the short time that had passed since landing, the sky had grown increasingly red and warm, the undersides of cotton clouds running bronze. Faraway beach grass sighed in the breeze.

 _Aínegéin,_ she had called it? He felt he could watch the sunset until nightfall and forget the past five years for awhile. All that existed, in this moment at least, was the two of them before the gold-tipped waves. The heady smell of salt chased away stress and memories, drawing him into the here and now. Just the eternal, steady push and pull of the ocean.

In a flash, the water erupted behind him. Two strong arms wrapped around his chest, squeezing tight. Ashe gasped as Petra perched her chin on his shoulder, her own body flush against his back.

"You were not joining me. Is there being a problem?"

"O- oh! Petra!" Ashe chuckled nervously, wrapping his own arms over hers. "I just… well, does the saltwater hurt your eyes? Or, um, is there anything I should know? Sorry, I've just only swam in lakes and rivers before, and even then my eyes used to get all red and puffy."

Petra laughed, a low hum in her chest. "I am understanding. The answer is that it is being different for everyone. We will have to be trying to be knowing."

"Right. Okay, that makes sense." Ashe took a deep breath in, trying to steady himself. "So, uh… will you be coming with me?"

Petra tilted her head so it bumped his cheek. He could feel her smile. "Of course. I will be staying right here, so when you are being ready, I will go into the water with you."

He hummed. "Thanks."

And then it went quiet, aside from the distant rush and hiss of waves hitting the shore. He could feel the soft current of Petra kicking her feet to stay afloat. The world shrunk to the small bubble of what he could perceive. Once again, _aínegéin._

Ashe took a deep breath in. He'd already trusted her to come this far, so dunking his head under felt rather petty. All he had to do was buckle his knees and let himself fall and-

Cold. It shocked up his nose and cheeks and jaw, plucking at every exposed nerve along the way. But as he sunk to a kneeling position along the sandy floor, the sensation soon dulled, much like the rest of his body had. He was surrounded by water with only the muffled passes of surf overhead.

Petra's arms came undone, still touching, slithering around and around as swam. She came to his front, her fingers sliding up to his cheeks, poking him on the nose again.

Begrudgingly, Ashe opened his eyes. It was, well, not was he expected—and thankfully it didn't sting. The seawater felt like a haze, both softening what he could see and making it difficult to spot anything else.

Not that he needed to. Petra floated in front of him, glimmering in the refracted dusk light. Her hair billowed out behind her, flowing like a mural of the goddess in the roof of the monastery's cathedral. She met his eyes and grinned, moving effortlessly underwater.

Ashe tried to smile back. Instead, he opened his mouth and inhaled on instinct, earning a lungful of saltwater. With coughs racking his body, he pushed up towards the surface.

Sputtering and wheezing, Ashe gulped down the air as his body revolted. Petra splashed up beside him, giggling as she reached out and made sure he was okay.

"You are recovering?" she asked.

"I… I guess." Ashe cleared his throat again.

"Good."

As he caught his breath, a curious thought struck him. Or rather, a memory—of promises made and to be realized in times like these.

"Well, uh… do you want to go under again?" he asked. "Together, I mean. We did promise to look up at the sun together, and its up there for now, so…"

Petra shook her head. "I am thinking it is too dark underwater and the sun is not bright enough. Brigid is having clearer water, we can be doing it there."

"Are you sure? If this is important to you, I'd like to try. Even if I have to choke on saltwater each time."

"Ashe…" Petra sighed, the corner of her lips pulling up. "The most importance is that you are being there. Yes, I am wanting to show you the sights I am liking most, but for today, having you close is enough." She paused, pursing her lips and waded closer. One of her hands touched his cheek. "That is always being enough."

"Petra, I…" Caught off-guard, Ashe was at a loss. His glowing mess of feelings—love, admiration, joy—were hard to put together into speech. He stood there, spellbound like when they'd landed.

She pushed forward, overtaking his view of the sun and sky, eclipsing them both. "If words are being too hard, we can be using other techniques. The ones I was teaching you, I am meaning."

He dipped from his reverie to crack a smile. Their eyes were already closing, faces growing near, but still he asked coyly, "Oh, so not bartering, right-"

"Shush, you."

\--

Satisfied that their wyverns were content for the night, Petra returned to their small campsite. The fire was smoldering, the pans and rations packed away, all neat and silent unlike when she had departed after dinner.

She came up to the wide canvas tent and slipped through.

Ashe shuffled in his bedroll. "The twins are all good?" he asked quietly.

Petra hummed positively, finding her own bedding and arranging it on the tarpaulin floor. "Roland was being grouchy when I was not having treats. I am thinking you spoil him too often."

"It's not _spoiling_ ," Ashe huffed, "the jerky is good for him. He just has his favorites, that's all."

"The jerky is being for us," she corrected with a chuckle. Petra shimmied into her own bedroll, stretching out her limbs.

" _Andóigh_ ," he responded passively. Petra smiled.

_"Starting next week, you'll both be on skywatch duties," Byleth had said. The two students nodded, taking in her instructions on meeting with the stablemaster and finding appropriate wyverns. Then, with their questions exhausted, they excused themselves and departed._

_Petra turned away in the same direction he did._

_"Oh, are you going to the dining hall too?" Ashe asked._

_She nodded. "Yes, I am needing something to eat before training. If I am to be learning the axe, I must give it my best try."_

_"Ah, right. Guess I'll have to learn that too, huh? Makes me kinda nervous."_

_They walked down the cobblestones together, winding through the courtyard. If anything, their new classmate was a breath of fresh air from some of the others. Less posturing and appearances, more open and approachable. She couldn't imagine Edelgard or Ferdinand saying something so vulnerable._

_Petra looked over. "The nerves are being normal. In my homeland, we are having many ways to be overcoming them."_

_"Oh, from Brigid, right?" Ashe's expression lit up. "What are they? Ah, if you don't mind me asking, I mean."_

_She grinned. Hardly anyone had taken an interest in her home besides Dorothea. "I am not minding. Here, I can be showing you the simplest one. When we are being asked to do a worrying task, my people are often saying—" she emphasized a shrug "—_ andóigh _!"_

_Ashe tilted his head curiously. "Ahn... dooigh?" he tried, working out the sound in his mouth. "What does it mean?"_

_"It is giving me difficulty to translate into the words of Fódlan," she admitted. "I am thinking it is close to 'okay'—or maybe 'of course'. We are saying it to things we cannot be changing. It is a word of acceptance."_

_The gears clicked. "Oh, I see! I think." He paused as they kept walking. "So... An-dooigh? Am I saying it right?"_

_"I am thinking you are close enough. The other students of Fódlan will not be knowing the difference."_

_Ashe shook his head. "Well, that's not really fair. You try hard to pronounce our language correctly, the least I could do is the same for yours."_

_Petra smiled as they approached the dining hall doors. "That is... being very kind of you, Ashe. If you are wanting, I can be helping you say it better while we eat?"_

_He smiled back. "Sure, that sounds nice."_

With the moment going still, the night's sounds began to filter in. Crickets chirped in the tall grasses that swayed with the breeze. The waves rose and fell, muffled in the distance. It felt right—close enough to the nightly sounds from her bedroom in Brigid.

Petra shimmied her bedroll across the floor. Arriving beside him, she snuggled up as best she could. Ashe sighed and leaned into it.

"Yes, _andóigh,"_ she muttered.


End file.
